


By Morning

by mtndewcodered



Category: Tiny Meat Gang (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism (mentioned), Period-Typical Sexism, Prostitution, Unhappy Ending, cody is kind of an asshole, use of gay slurs, very vague blow job scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:00:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22358341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtndewcodered/pseuds/mtndewcodered
Summary: He’s got New York City and the sunrise that’s about to come up and a man who said he was going to get him wrapped around his finger before morning.
Relationships: Cody Ko/Noel Miller
Comments: 13
Kudos: 56





	By Morning

**Author's Note:**

> this plot came to me in the shower and i stayed up afterwards to write it all while listening to the great gatsby soundtrack. 
> 
> disclaimer for the probable historical inaccuracies, vague smut that lasts for a paragraph, and cody's overall grossness throughout the whole thing. the boys are def ooc in this. if any tags should be changed or added or if there's any constructive criticisms, i'd appreciate it as i've never written something like this before- this is all writing practice for myself. thanks.

There is a certain sense of euphoria that Cody gains when he escapes from the back of his parent’s home during one of their many weekly parties, and rushing through the city while undoing his tight tie and shrugging off his jet black jacket to get to one of New York’s underground cabaret. He’s never missed one of his parent’s parties, he’s also never been to a cabaret, speakeasy, or perhaps even a brothel, but the older generation of Kolodziejzyk’s certainly know how to get on his nerves. He is sure he’d be getting a mouthful from his mother when he finally gets back home, but curiosity is getting the best of him the closer he gets to the heart of the city- Cody can practically smell the strong liquor even from the distance he is still away from it. His friends say white wine is nothing compared to the taste of hard whiskey rolling down your throat. Cody’s never had anything beside wine in fancy glasses, taking small sips as he makes conversation with older folks who he only knows through his parents. Things are going to change for him tonight- Cody is going to make sure of it. And when he has to explain to his father why none of the guests saw him tonight, Cody will blame it on finding a nice broad to talk to out in the garden, somewhere no one else would be able to find them until the party was over. That should convince him, afterall, Mr. Kolodziejzyk always seemed proud when his son told him about the girl’s he speaks to, who find an interest in him. 

But Cody wouldn’t be looking for girls to talk to, no, his friends from college told him that these places were filled with women who give their bodies in exchange for money. The girls were cheap, they had said, cheaper than the alcohol that had recently got a ban put on it. Cody had his pockets filled with two bands of cash, tucked away and hidden. He planned for this, to taste the alcohol and the lipstick on beautiful women that would do anything for him. Cody’s stomach was doing flips before he even got inside of one of the cabarets. When he does, he can’t help but let his eyes widen at just the amount of people compacted into one tiny space. It’s loud with jazz and the millions of conversations happening all at once. Cody watches women sit on men’s laps, tables filled with glasses that are all half-empty, and on the stage towards the back of the room there are women dancing, wearing flapper outfits that could possibly get a woman jailed if she went out looking like that. Cody shakes his head. Suddenly his nerves feel like they’re on fire underneath his skin. He gets a drink. It’s filled to the brim, some falls out and runs alongside the glass. Cody downs it before he can sit down. He asks for another, and the bartender obliges easily, but not before eyeing him up and down. Cody doesn’t question it, he assumes the bartender knows who he is. Cody Kolodziejzyk, the twenty-four year old son of Greg and Helen Kolodziejzyk. Or perhaps he simply looks out of place here, which Cody most definitely is. He’s smaller compared to all the other men here, who have women all over them and maybe Cody is jealous but also, maybe- maybe he’s just sort of bored. 

He makes no attempt to talk to anyone throughout the hour that he sits and drinks. Each new drink goes by slower and slower until one of them is watered down enough for Cody to push it away from himself. He wonders for a moment how much he has already spent, and he is about to put another couple dollars on the table before another person’s presence is sliding right beside them. Cody freezes for a moment, fingers pressed around a single fin, unmoving. They feel closer than they actually are, because when Cody finally turns to look at the stranger, they’re a good three feet away from him. Cody swears he can feel them breathing down his neck. 

The stranger is a man that looks no older than him. He wears tight pants that hug his thighs, and a button-up shirt that is unbuttoned enough so Cody can see most of his bare chest. “You lookin’ a little bit lonely over here, kinda odd at a place like this,” the stranger says, and Cody finally gets a somewhat good look at his face- as much as the lighting of the place will allow it. His lips are redder than the average man’s, Cody thinks he might be wearing lipstick like all the women here. Cody finds it weird. The man’s hair is slicked back, dark brown but still manages to look soft. The stranger reaches for Cody’s drink, and takes a swig from it. He doesn’t seem to mind the watered-down taste. This is also weird to Cody. Cody looks to his old glass, seeing the lipstick stain that the man had left around the rim. “I can change that, if you’d like.” 

Cody opens his mouth, but no words come out. Something more like a squeak manages to fall from his lips. Did this man think he was some kind of- some kind of fairy? Cody shakes his head. “You gotta be real gowed-up right now, thinking I oughta be a fucking pansy like you.” 

If Cody struck a nerve in the stranger, the man didn’t show it. He simply shrugged it off, and asked the bartender for a drink- a gin rickey. Some kind of cocktail. “Ah, that’s too bad, you’re a real sheik. It’s not every day I see a looker like you comin’ in here.” The bartender passes the stranger his drink. Cody can smell the gin and seltzer. 

“You’re insane, thinking you can just go up to a man and ask to take him home. You could get yourself killed.” Cody doesn’t know why he’s trying to help the man, seeing as much of a sap he already is. 

“Don’t you know, baby?” The stranger begins, and Cody glares at him, eyebrows knitting together. “Fairies like me are sweeping across the city. It’s the homosexual liberation, darling.” 

Cody rolls his eyes in annoyance at the petnames. He isn’t going to let some homosexual talk to him like this- like the stranger is looking to have sex with him, which he is, and it’s making it all worse. Cody moves to stand up, to go talk to a lady like he came here to do. “I’m not really feeling comfortable with this conversation,” Cody tells the other man. The stranger reaches out to touch him, and the second his fingers graze against Cody’s shoulder, Cody is moving away from him so quickly that he almost falls to the ground. He expects the stranger to catch him or steady him, but it never comes. Cody straightens himself out. “Don’t touch me,” Cody adds firmly. 

The stranger raises his hands up in surrender. “I apologize. I assumed, sorry. My name’s Noel. You are?” 

Cody crosses his arms over his chest, still irritated. “Cody.” 

The stranger- _Noel _\- smirks. “What’re you doin’ out here tonight, Cody?”__

__“Some college friends told me I should stop by here. Said I’d find good drinks and an even better hook-up. Didn’t expect to see fags here, too.” Cody looks into Noel’s eyes, daring him to say something about his looks, or to call him _sweetheart _again. It doesn’t come. Cody awkwardly looks away from Noel’s lipstick-stained lips.___ _

____Noel just hums. He takes a sip of his cocktail, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows. Cody watches. “You got a sharp mouth on ya, buddy. Didn’t your parents teach you manners?”_ _ _ _

____“I ain’t forced to use manners when it comes ta-”_ _ _ _

____“To fairies, you don’t gotta say it again, sweetheart.”_ _ _ _

____Cody’s hand turns into a fist at his side. Noel catches it, but doesn’t flinch. He shows no change in expression, actually. Does Cody really look that far from being intimidating?_ _ _ _

____“I’m sure a lotta those college fellas picked up one of us, too. We’re all around this joint, it ain’t just me.”_ _ _ _

____“That’s impossible. I haven’t seen another male prostitute beside you and the drag queens in dance halls.”_ _ _ _

____Noel finishes his drink. He asks for another. The bartender nods and turns around. When Noel looks back at Cody, Cody feels trapped. His eyes can only look into Noel’s, the jazz music is drained out and only Noel’s voice fills his ears. “Say, Cody, you ever had sex with a girl?”_ _ _ _

____Cody grows hot and his cheeks turn red. He turns his face so Noel can’t see him blushing. But Noel knows. Surely the man is holding back the urge to laugh at him. “No,” Cody eventually answers, “No one ever interests me for long enough.” It’s the truth._ _ _ _

____“You don’t say.” Cody can hear the man’s smug smile. He’d ought to punch it straight off of him._ _ _ _

____“Doesn’t make me like you,” Cody snaps._ _ _ _

____“Say,” Noel starts, he doesn’t look like he’d be getting affected by Cody’s harsh words anytime soon, “How ‘bout I try changing your mind? We leave here together, I take you ‘round the city, and if I can get ya wrapped around my finger by morning, you owe me. You’re a Kolodziejzyk, right?”_ _ _ _

____Cody’s eyes go wide, similar to when he first stepped inside the building. He nods, slowly. Noel smiles again. “Great. So you’ve got the money. Your old man’s an egg.”_ _ _ _

____“Well, you aren’t going to be getting anything from me.”_ _ _ _

____“Is that a yes on my offer?”_ _ _ _

____Cody bites his lip. Certainly Noel wasn’t going to win this thing, so there has to be something in it for him when the morning comes. “If I win, what do you give me?”_ _ _ _

____Noel looks around the cabaret, then to his empty drink. His eyes train over to Cody, looking his body up and down. Cody suddenly feels self-conscious about himself. “I’ll get you a chance with the hottest broad here. Free. On the house.”_ _ _ _

____The offer sounds delightful. Cody holds his hand out for Noel to shake. Noel rolls his eyes and smirks. It’s so smug that it irks Cody’s insides. Then, Noel shakes his hand, his skin is warm and soft to the touch.  
“It’s a deal then.” _ _ _ _

____-_ _ _ _

____“I’d ask where you live, but I think most of us here in the city know where the Kolodziejzyk’s reside. How long did it take you to get here?” Noel talks low as they walk past studio apartments that are dark or the curtains are thick enough to hide the lights. Cody tucks his hands into his pockets, he thinks Noel’s hands are too close to his as they walk side-by-side through the almost empty streets. Drunks and prostitutes are passing by them. Cody feels incredibly out of place. But if he were at his parents party still, he wouldn’t feel any better._ _ _ _

____“It was a twenty minute walk. I couldn’t take a car or else my parents would find out.”_ _ _ _

____“You poor boy. Is tonight the first time you’ve drank?”_ _ _ _

____Cody shakes his head, feeling almost offended that Noel would assume such a thing. He wasn’t cradled by his parents, they were simply protective about their image and wealth. “Not at all. Just never had whiskey before tonight, or bourbon.”_ _ _ _

____“Who would’ve thought,” Noel says sarcastically._ _ _ _

____Cody shoves him with his shoulder. Noel hardly budges. But the man laughs, and it echoes through street corners. A passerby looks towards them. Cody hopes they don’t think he’s taking a male prostitute home. “They’re just protective of me. They don’t want me to fuck up and be known for having a screw-up as a their only son.”_ _ _ _

____“Sounds a little harmful to me.”_ _ _ _

____“I’m sure your parents did great with you. Seeing as where you are right now.”_ _ _ _

____Cody is aware of how harsh his words are, but he can’t seem to care enough to take it back or not say them in the first place. They come out without much thought to begin with. But even then, Noel doesn’t seem to care at all. Instead, he continues to look forward, guiding Cody to wherever he was taking them. Cody has a feeling he should be worried, but for some reason, he isn’t. Noel seems normal, beside the fact that he is a homosexual._ _ _ _

____“My parents were great. They died when I was young. Had to live with a white family for most of my life.”_ _ _ _

____Something inside of Cody feels heavy- maybe it was a sudden wave of guilt flushing over him. That might be it. “I’m…” Cody trails off, “Where do they live?”_ _ _ _

____“Georgia. I came here when I was eighteen.”_ _ _ _

____“How old are you now?”_ _ _ _

____“Twenty-four.”_ _ _ _

____“Me, too.”_ _ _ _

____Noel then stops abruptly. Cody walks a few steps ahead of him until he realizes. He turns around to look at Noel. “We’re here,” Noel says._ _ _ _

____Cody hears the music from outside of the building. A dance hall. He already can picture what the inside looks like. Men dressed in drag, lipstick stains on everything and everyone, it smells like sweat and perfume. “You aren’t going to get me to dance with a whole lot of homosexuals.”_ _ _ _

____“I never said I was, sweetheart,” Noel says, using the petname again that Cody is beginning to loathe. He chooses to ignore it, though. Noel continues, “You’re the one who mentioned dance halls, anyway. And besides, this ain’t a dance hall that’s strictly for homosexuals. Maybe you’ll find a nice woman to dance with, and then you can forget all about me.”_ _ _ _

____Cody wonders what it would be like to dance with a pretty woman- one he’s never met before, one he wasn’t forced to dance with by his parents at their parties. “Fine. Let’s go.”_ _ _ _

____Noel leads them inside. It’s brighter and larger than the cabaret. There’s flappers dancing with their respective men, hands on their hips and cigarettes in their dainty hands. Smoke flows from their mouths and into the air, collecting above the couples like rain clouds then disappearing within seconds. Cody turns to Noel, he doesn’t know what to do next, and he is about to ask, until he gets his first good look at Noel. One that’s clear from the chandeliers hanging above them. His lips are more of a plum purple, the lipstick still looking perfectly applied even after drinking. His skin is darker than Cody had previously noticed, and his eyes are green and sharp._ _ _ _

____“What’s the problem, darling?”_ _ _ _

____Noel’s voice fills Cody’s ears, and he’s pulling himself away from Noel’s nice colored eyes. Or maybe a better word for them would be pretty. “Nothin’. Just…” He nods towards the hall._ _ _ _

____“You wanna dance?” Noel smiles as he reaches for Cody’s hand. His fingers delicately wrap around Cody’s, and Cody jumps back as if he’s been burned. Noel laughs. “I ain’t gonna hurt you, sweetheart. I thought fags were supposed to be the weaker of the species.”_ _ _ _

____Cody grows offended. “I’m not weak,” he says, his tone full of annoyance. His hand jerks between Noel’s fingers, but he doesn’t pull it away. Cody looks to the crowd, and he sees the men dressed in drag, just as he thought, and men dressed normal dancing with other men. He even sees two of them kiss before he turns back to face Noel. “We- we can dance. But you better not try anything. Or I’ll- I’ll-”_ _ _ _

____“I get it,” Noel says, not waiting for Cody to finish whatever empty threat he was going to give him, and drags Cody to the center of the dance hall. Their hands are still touching and Cody feels like he’s sweating profusely. Everyone is definitely looking at him, he prays to god they don’t realize who he is. What if they were to tell his father that Cody was holding hands with a man?_ _ _ _

____“You lead,” Noel tells him._ _ _ _

____Cody moves slow. His hand is shaky as he places it on Noel’s waist, feeling the dip in his side and the top of his hip bone. He feels a bit too skinny, but Cody can’t tell for sure with his loose shirt on. He places his second hand parallel to the other, his previously cold hands warming up from Noel’s body heat. They’re closer than Cody would like them to be, chests almost touching. Since they’re almost the same in height, their faces are extremely too close as well. Cody holds in his breath until he can’t anymore. “You need to let loose a little, sweetheart,” Noel says as he wraps his arms loosely around Cody’s neck. “Haven’t you ever danced before?”_ _ _ _

____“‘Course I have. Just never with a man.”_ _ _ _

____The song that is currently playing is a slower one, although couples around them are still dancing as if it isn’t. Cody assumes that most of them are drunk or high. Him and Noel are swaying slow, though, mostly to the beat. Cody decides to close his eyes, pretend that Noel’s hips are that of a woman’s, like his curves belong to the attractive lady he saw on the way to the center of the hall. But when he opens his eyes again, he’s met with Noel’s pretty colored eyes. Noel laughs, which borderlines a giggle, and says, “You look so surprised.”_ _ _ _

____“Told you- I’ve never danced with a man. Never planned to, either.” Cody shifts his hands slightly, thinking he’s touching too much of Noel’s hips._ _ _ _

____Noel moves one of his hands to brush Cody’s hair back with his fingers. Cody is halfway through telling him to stop until Noel’s hand is right back to where it was. “Can’t see your pretty eyes if your hair is in the way,” Noel tells Cody. Cody ducks his head down. He tells Noel not to say stuff like that._ _ _ _

____“Worried you’ll turn into a fairy?” Noel jokes. Cody takes it seriously._ _ _ _

____“No- what? No.” Cody shakes his head. His and Noel’s dancing becomes more smooth. Cody thinks he can get used to it now. No one is paying any mind to them, and that eases him greatly._ _ _ _

____He lets Noel guide their dancing for the rest of the time that they are at the dance hall. Before they leave, Noel buys them drinks. He leaves purple lipstick stains around the rim. He leaves a purple lipstick stain on the bartender’s cheek, the man had welcomed it. Cody could only sit there in pure confusion. Who would let a male prostitute kiss them so casually like that? He doesn’t dwell on it for too long before Noel is holding his hand again, guiding them out of the dance hall and back into the dark streets of the city._ _ _ _

____-_ _ _ _

____“Where are you gonna take me now?” Cody asks. It’s getting colder outside. He wraps his arms around himself to hold in his warmth as much as he can. He finds himself moving closer to Noel without much thought._ _ _ _

____“I was thinkin’ we could stop at my place. Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna try having sex with you.”_ _ _ _

____“Well now that you say you aren’t I’m worried that you will.”_ _ _ _

____Noel wraps an arm around Cody’s shoulders. Cody tenses beneath his touch. “I wouldn’t ever do somethin’ you wouldn’t want me to do. And it’s always the other way around when it comes to my clients.”_ _ _ _

____Cody then feels gross underneath Noel’s touch. He shrugs off Noel’s arm. Noel says nothing about it, and continues walking. “So you’re just that easy then?”_ _ _ _

____There is silence between them for a second. Then two. And then three. They feel too long._ _ _ _

____“No,” Noel says, “If someone’s givin’ me money, I let them do whatever they want to me. As long as I’m not gettin’ into critical condition, I’m fine with it.”_ _ _ _

____“Right. Easy.”_ _ _ _

____Noel doesn’t talk for the rest of the walk to his home. Cody thinks that was the thing to do it, to hit the right nerve that made Noel properly pissed off at him. He doesn’t apologize._ _ _ _

____-_ _ _ _

____Noel’s home is a studio apartment that’s small and barely has anything inside of it. There is a radio, a bed, a table with two chairs, and a clothing drawer. Cody can easily configure that Noel is hardly ever here, hence why it doesn’t feel much like a home and more like… well, Cody doesn’t really have a word for what it could be. Just a place where Noel can sleep and change with privacy. “When’s the last time you were here?” Cody decides to ask._ _ _ _

____“Last night.”_ _ _ _

____“Was it with a… a client?” Cody uses the same term Noel did earlier._ _ _ _

____“No, I don’t bring them here, ever. It’s either in a bathroom or at their place. So the bed’s fine. If you’re tired or somethin’, it’s pretty late.”_ _ _ _

____“Oh.” Cody scrunches up his nose. “I might take you up on the offer, though. Usually I’d be asleep by this time.”_ _ _ _

____Noel chuckles. “I can’t believe you’re the same age as I am.” He sits down in one of the chairs at the table, legs spread. His shoulders drape and his shirt falls lower in a way that reveals even more of his chest. Cody sees, eyeing how smooth and nice, the only word Cody can seem to think of when it came to this man’s features, Noel’s tan skin looks. He also can’t help but look at the little marks that are near the bottom of his sternum. They look to be scars, the shape and discoloration of the marks giving it away. “But be my guest,” Noel’s words knock Cody out of his own head, “Hopefully you don’t sleep through the mornin’. Can’t lose my chance with the nicest dime I’ve ever seen.”_ _ _ _

____Cody groans and takes his jacket off, setting it on top of the clothes drawer. He takes his shoes off, setting them beside the bed. He feels vulnerable, having Noel watch him. But it doesn’t feel creepy, or predatory, in any way. Simply odd._ _ _ _

____“You don’t get compliments often, huh? Level with me.”_ _ _ _

____“Just because I don’t have a woman.”_ _ _ _

____“That ain’t true.”_ _ _ _

____Noel stands from the chair. Cody sits on the side of the bed. It’s comfortable, maybe even more so than Cody’s own bed. He watches Noel start fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, and he sucks in a breath loud enough for Noel to hear. “Do you mind if I-?”_ _ _ _

____Cody manages to shake his head._ _ _ _

____Noel unbuttons the rest of his shirt and carelessly throws it towards his drawer. Cody notices how low his pants are, his deep hip bones exposed for the rest of the world to see. Except, it feels like a _Cody’s eyes only _thing. Cody wouldn’t be surprised if Noel tugged them down just to try to make Cody flustered. It certainly wasn’t working, and Cody lays down on Noel’s bed and turns around so he isn’t facing the other man anymore.___ _ _ _

______Cody somewhat expects Noel to lay down next to him. Minutes pass, however, and the other side of the bed remains empty. Cody carefully opens his eyes, and turns around to look around the rest of the room. Noel is back in the same seat he’d previously been sitting in, cleary tired and dozing off. Cody clears his throat before speaking, “You can- you can lay down next to me. I don’t- I mean, it’s your bed.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______A smile tugs at Noel’s lips. Cody can tell the man is just as tired as he is. He wonders what time it is, and how long they have known each other. “I promise I won’t try to corrupt you, sweetheart.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Cody stays quiet. He doesn’t have a snarky remark. He watches Noel stand up. Watches the way he stretches, how his muscles flex and the scars begin to stand out even more. He has one running across his naval. Cody has questions, and he wants to ask them. But he’s tired and scared as to what Noel might tell him._ _ _ _ _ _

______Noel gets into the bed next to him. Cody doesn’t turn back around like he did before. He stays incredibly still, his breathing becoming shallow and uneven. Noel sounds normal. It is his bed, afterall. And Cody knows the man is used to sleeping with strangers._ _ _ _ _ _

______Cody’s never slept with a stranger. The last person he ever shared a bed with was with his sister, when they were much younger and Cody would go to her when he had a nightmare or simply couldn’t sleep. There is something much more… different, about this. Perhaps it is because Cody doesn’t know Noel at all, except the obvious. He is a homosexual and he is a prostitute. His sister would be disappointed in him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You can relax, Cody,” Noel says quietly, “What’s eating you?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Cody breathes out through his nose. It sounds like a sigh. His shoulders fall slightly._ _ _ _ _ _

______“How do you do it?” Cody asks. He doesn’t quite know what he is referring to. Really, it’s a bunch of things._ _ _ _ _ _

______“What do you mean?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I mean… being- being you. You’re a male prostitute. You’re a fairy. You’re a brown man. You’re a quiff. It’s like the world wants you dead.” Cody thinks about those scars on Noel’s skin. Thinks about what he told him on their walks to the dance hall and Noel’s apartment. He thinks about the laws against prostitution, being crude, the alcohol and drug prohibition, the homosexual college freshmen he used to see being berated when he was still in school._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Somehow I’m still here.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Doesn’t it scare you?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Cody turns around, Noel is looking at him. Once Cody’s eyes meet his, Noel’s eyes avert to somewhere else._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Sometimes. It hasn’t gotten me too hurt yet.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Is it just the scars?” Cody questions as he looks to the marks on Noel’s chest. He wonders if there are anymore anywhere else._ _ _ _ _ _

______Noel bites the inside of his cheek. Then he says, “Yes. Surprised one of them hasn’t taken me out for a ride yet.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Cody giggles, although he realizes it may not be the most appropriate time to laugh. Noel smiles, though._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Some people are very… they’re very angry, and they take it out through sex. That’s where the scars come from. Where other injuries come from.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Cody scoots closer to Noel. “You don’t have to let them do that to you, you know that, right?” His hand subconsciously reaches out to run his thumb over one of the scars, the one at Noel’s naval._ _ _ _ _ _

______“You have no idea what some of these men are capable of, Cody. They may want to have sex with a man, but it’s crazy what they’ll do if you say no to them. They call me _fag _more than you heterosexual folk do.”___ _ _ _ _ _

________The thought sounds ludicrous to Cody, but he takes Noel’s word for it. “Why do you keep doing this then?” Cody leaves his fingers resting against Noel’s abdomen. He continuously runs his thumb over the long scar._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“It’s how I make a living.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I’m sorry,” Cody says to Noel for the first time since they’ve met, and for something he had no control over whatsoever._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“It ain’t your fault.” Noel offers him a smile. Cody returns it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Noel raises his hand, moving it carefully toward the side of Cody’s face. When he is about to place it on top of Cody’s cheek, he pauses, and he meets his eyes with Cody- a silent way of asking Cody if it's okay to touch him. Cody nods in response. It's okay. Noel places his hand across Cody’s cheek, cupping it gently. Cody shivers slightly beneath the foreign touch, although Noel’s hand is warm and comforting. It feels a bit too intimate, something Cody has hardly ever experienced before, and it was with a _man _._______ _ _ _

______________Noel’s thumb runs over Cody’s cheekbone, the same motion Cody used to touch Noel’s scar. “You might get upset with me for sayin’ this, but I think you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting,” Noel says, breaking the silence._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Noel-” Cody starts- but he has nothing to say. How could he possibly respond to something like that? No one has ever said something so awfully sweet to him. And it came from someone who is still practically a stranger to him. Yet Cody is in his bed with his cheeks flushed. “I think you have really pretty eyes,” Cody says eventually._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Noel moves his hand away from Cody’s face. His cheek is immediately cold. Instead, Noel’s arm moves to Cody’s waist, tugging him closer, but not enough to make Cody uneasy. Although Cody is wavering on the line between being comfortable and not._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________They lay like that for a while, Cody taking in Noel’s warmth. He lets himself move closer every few minutes, until they’re as close as they were when they had been dancing together. This time, their foreheads are slightly touching. Cody has his eyes fluttered shut, if he opens them he’s afraid he might get angry at Noel._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________The hand on his back feels nice, though. And Noel’s breath smells like good liquor and sweets. It hits his lips and Cody’s heart stops whenever it happens. He feels as if nothing can hurt him as long as he stays in this bed, next to this man. He’s never felt more protected in his life, even with his parents always keeping an eye on him, even with the way they watched out for him, from when he was young, to now. The feeling is nothing compared to this._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Cody is halfway asleep when Noel asks him, “Can I kiss you?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________The question wakes him up within half a second. They’re so incredibly close, if Noel leaned in any more they would already be kissing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Cody only nods._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Noel smiles. He has a nice smile, Cody thinks._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Cody doesn’t know what to expect from a kiss with a boy. He’s only kissed a handful of girls before. They were always soft, they usually had lipstick on and it left stains, they would make Cody take the lead even if Cody had no idea what to do. When Noel presses his lips to Cody’s, they’re soft but still somehow rough, he is more forceful but Cody likes it. The lipstick Noel still has on has a slight taste, but it isn’t terrible. Cody tries to kiss him back, he tries to with the same amount of passion that Noel is putting into it. But Cody freezes up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________He’s kissing a _man _. And he’s liking it.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Cody pulls back, and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He looks down at it to see the purple smudge across it. He scoots away from Noel, gently pushing his chest back, signaling Noel to move, to not touch him. “What’s wrong?” Noel asks, shuffling from his spot._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“We kissed. We weren’t- I wasn’t supposed to do- _fuck _!” Cody shouts, and it manages to make Noel jump.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Cody- it’s okay. It’s not the end of-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Yes, it is! We kissed- we kissed and I liked it!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“There’s nothing wrong-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“It _is _wrong! Everyone knows it- it’s unnatural.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Noel looks hurt. The second insult that has hurt him and has shown it. “I’m sorry.” Noel looks down. “I shouldn’t have asked to kiss you. How about we leave? You can head back home. I’ll get you that broad’s name. You can forget this ever happened.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Cody stands still. He didn’t mean to make Noel sad. He nods regardless, and grabs his jacket from the drawer. Noel gets out of his bed, and he stares at it for an awkward amount of time. Cody pretends not to notice, and to not realize why Noel is staring at it in the first place._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The walk is slow and the tension is thick. Cody feels like throwing up. He keeps licking his lips and tasting Noel. The guilt is eating at the inside of his stomach, the bile is climbing up his throat. He’ll be puking up all the alcohol he drank from the night within the next hour, for sure._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Can I show you one more place? The sun is going to rise within the hour.” Noel asks, even though Cody was obviously not in the mood. He wants to say something, but keeps it to himself. He simply shrugs. Then nods. He doesn’t really want to go home right now, anyway._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Noel leads them through a dark alley, and their walk detours from there._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________They end up on a rooftop, somewhere they can watch the sunrise._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The navy blue, almost black sky is starting to change into a lighter shade of blue. The moon is starting to pass right by them, and it’s the first time Cody has noticed it all night. It’s small, waning, and disappearing fast._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________There is an obvious gap between them, Noel has made sure of it. Cody crosses his legs, making them an inch or so closer._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Noel says, “I always wonder what it’s like over there, across the sea. In a place like England or France. I hear they’re beautiful places.” Noel looks out to the vast chunk of land that is New York, a few miles away is the ocean, and across from that is the United Kingdom. Cody has always wanted to go, his parents had gone before he was born._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“They got to be.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Better than this place, probably. Not so grummy. Maybe they accept people like me more.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The _like us _is left behind. It isn’t forgotten.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“What if nowhere is better than New York?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“I suppose I oughta be glad I ain’t dead, then.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Cody sees the sun starting to come up from far away. It’s going to light up the sky with such gorgeous colors, it’s going to make Cody hate the night, when the darkness takes the colors away from the world. Cody uncrosses his legs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________If there really is no better place than New York, Cody supposes he will just have to get used to it. If he never gets to go to London or Paris or Spain or Rome or Venice then all he has got is New York City. He’s got New York City and the sunrise that’s about to come up and a man who said he was going to get him wrapped around his finger before morning._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________So Cody does something himself from yesterday wouldn’t have believed. He does something that would make his parents absolutely mortified, his mother might cry and his dad would be embarrassed. Cody leans over to Noel. He grabs the other man’s face. He kisses him. Noel makes a small, surprised noise. He doesn’t pull away, rather kisses Cody back and holds Cody’s face between his hands, pulling him close until their noses pressed against one another. Cody is breathing hard and fast through his nose as he and Noel kiss. It’s messy and Cody’s never done this before, but Noel seems to like it, so Cody must be doing something right._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Noel pulls back, lips wet from their combined spit, he catches his breath. “You’re so gorgeous, the second I saw you. I knew-” He doesn’t finish his sentence, only kisses Cody again. Cody grabs the collar of Noel’s shirt, tugging him towards his body so they fit together like puzzle pieces._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Noel’s hands move from Cody’s face to his neck, down his chest to his hips, and puts his hands underneath Cody’s shirt to feel the softness of his abdomen and stomach. Noel pulls his shirt up, and they break apart their kiss and Cody lifts his arms so Noel can take it off. Cody is still well aware of where they are, on a rooftop that’s dirty with last Autumn’s leaves on it. He would take a shower once he arrived home._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Cody gasps slightly when Noel kisses Cody’s neck, nipping and biting at the sensitive skin. Noel trails kisses down to his collarbone and to his chest. Cody hopes he isn’t leaving any marks._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________After kissing down to just after Cody’s naval, Cody asks Noel to remove his shirt, too. Noel obliges, although timid. Cody smiles softly at Noel and his pretty chest. He pulls him in for another kiss, it’s the only thing he feels comfortable doing himself. He lets Noel continue, which is unbuttoning his pants and pulling them down his hips to the middle of his thighs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Sit up really quick, lift your hips,” Noel says. Cody follows eagerly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Noel grabs his shirt, and lays it down underneath Cody’s ass. “Okay.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Cody lays back down._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“What are you going to do?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Whatever you want me to do.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Cody blushes. “I- I don’t know.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“That’s okay. Tell me if you don’t like anything that I’m doing.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________That might be impossible. He nods regardless, wanting Noel’s lips on him again. Instead he feels Noel’s fingers dip past the band of his underwear, pulling them down so the cool air touches his skin. Cody shivers and jerks back slightly. “It’s okay. I’ll stop if you want,” Noel whispers. Cody shakes his head, tells him to keep going, voice quiet and timid. Noel nods, and pulls the rest of Cody’s underwear down to where Cody’s pants are at his thighs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________When Noel touches him, Cody chokes out a moan that comes from the pit of his stomach. He whispers Noel’s name over and over until Cody is preaching to him like gospel. The hand around him is already enough to push him to climax, until it disappears. Cody whines, and it sounds so _needy _, but he can’t help it. Noel tells him that it’s okay again.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Cody almost sobs when he feels Noel’s lips wrap around him. His hands immediately finds Noel’s, wanting their hands to be interlocked as Noel sucks him off. How was he ever going to return the favor? He knows nothing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Cody shuts his eyes tight, mouth agape as small noises escape from him. Behind his eyelids he can see the brightness of the sky coming in. The sun was officially rising._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Moments later Cody cums, tears sting at the corners of his eyes, and Noel swallows around him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________He’s so happy._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Noel kisses around Cody’s thighs before he comes back up. They elicit a few more tiny moans from Cody. He helps Cody pull his underwear and pants on. “Thank you, thank you,” Cody whispers over and over. Noel doesn’t say anything, but kisses the corner of his mouth._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Do you want me to-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“It’s okay, you don’t have to.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________They both pull back on their shirts. They’re dirty, but Cody doesn’t mind._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Noel.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Noel hums._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Come with me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“What?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Come back with me. Please. I can get enough money for both of us, so you don’t have to do this anymore. It can be just you and me- and- and maybe we could go to London or Paris or- or- anywhere you’d want to go.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Noel laughs. It sounds forced. Cody’s excited expression fades automatically. He grows rather confused within a few short seconds._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“I can’t just leave, darling.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________The nickname is bittersweet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“Why? I thought- I thought you liked me.” He is well-aware of how juvenile he sounds, but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care. Everything he’s ever believed was just thrown out of the window all in the span of an hour. Cody isn’t going to let Noel leave that easily._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“I’ve got a business to run.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“That ain’t a business, Noel.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“It is to me. What do you do? Mooch off your parents?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“I went to school, I attended Princeton.” Cody defends himself, and his dignity. He doesn’t mooch off his parents like everyone else seems to think. He studied for years and now works for his father. That’s something, isn’t it?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________“And what good did that do for you? You’re on top of a roof with a prostitute who just gave you your first sexual experience at twenty-four.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Cody stands up abruptly. He grabs his jacket and tugs it on. “Fuck you,” he spits. He’s angry but he feels like crying. However their time together ended up like _this _, Cody doesn’t have the answer. One second he was perfectly blissed-out, staring up at the sunrise, and now he’s fuming, seeing red and nothing else. He is about to climb down from the roof, leaving Noel behind, until he stops. He opens his jacket back up, reaching inside the pockets to find the money he had brought along to the cabaret. After unrolling one of the bands, Cody hands him a fifty.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________Noel stares long and hard at the money before he eventually takes it. It’s a lot- he couldn’t pass that up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________“I meant it,” Noel says as he looks at the money, “When I said you were the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. I meant it. I just- I don’t know what might happen to me if I’m not doing _this _. You have money, you’re white, and you can pretend you’re heterosexual.”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________Cody swallows hard. The word _pretend _lingers at the back of his mind. He doesn’t have a clue how he’s supposed to come back from something like this.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________“Do you understand?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________“I understand.” At least he tries to._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________Cody leaves from the rooftop. On his whole walk home he wonders when Noel will leave, too. If he already did. If he’ll stay the whole day there until the sun sets again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________Cody gets scolded by his parents, and he promises he won’t do it again. And that was the end of it. Later, he cries in the bathroom when he sees a small, purple mark that Noel left on his collarbone. He tries rubbing it away when he takes a shower, but he makes his skin red and angry and it doesn’t go away until Cody sleeps to forget about it, even if only for a few hours._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________And Cody keeps his promise. He never skips another party again. He dances with girls and he takes them out to the garden, for real, but he never touches them or kisses them or even really talks to them. But he will say he did, for his parents' sake. Sometimes, even for his own._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________Sometimes, Cody tries to find Noel, but to no prevail. He will occasionally go to an up-and-coming dance hall, a speakeasy, sometimes the same cabaret that they first met each other at, but always finds himself meeting failure. He supposes he should give up. But he'll wait until next sunrise to figure that out.______________________________

**Author's Note:**

> i really hope someone likes this bcus i was super nervous to post it... it was kinda tricky to write esp with it being only 7k words and the fact that i haven't written anything new since like august. again if there's anything i should improve on or fix i'd like to know. 
> 
> thank you for reading. i appreciate it.


End file.
